2nd half of the Tour de France and likely the start of the real GC fight. The sprinters now had quite a lot chances and with TTs and hill stages to lead to an early GC seperation, today the climbers will get their chance to start for glory.
Right now the biggest favourites are within ~2min range more or less. Hence some surely need to gain time while others can wait a bit. For Bakelants it might be difficult to keep his lead on a stage like this.
7 riders are allowed to form todays breakaway with Grmay being the only rider having already any KoM points. Simon Grmay Panayotov Agudelo Maesen Hasta Arissol
A bit later Mullen is joining them showing his KoM ambitions.
The top top GC teams are now asked to show themselves. I-Gen around Spilak and wildcard Lecuisinier obviously a team to work and also Vesuvio around World Champion Schleck. Both have strong teams here with one goal: To win the Tour de France 2016.
Bouygues is also having a rider in the chasing work in Delaplace. Though here it`s questionable if this is the duty of the leader jersey or working for their podium hope Taaramae.
Vesuvio going for it now. Kirsch, Suaza and veteran Frank Schleck in the lead. Couple minutes ago also Novak for I-Gen was working.
Behind them Bakelants still feeling well. But then all the big names. Schleck, Spilak, Taaramae, Phinney, Lecuisinier, Sicard, Kritskiy, Dombrowski, Wellens...
Only a bit more than 1min for the breakaway as the firs real showdown of the GC riders is seeing a high pace today.
And hence already with 12,5km to the top the break is caught. No KoM points for those and neither any chance to win the stage.
And here we go. The first bold move of the day and it`s incredibly early. Still more than 10km to the top and then it`s only the first of two climbs. 39km to the finish! Dombrowski with the attack and immediately followed by Phinney, who is best placed of the GC riders and hence has good chances to take the Maillot Jaune today.
Also Taaramäe tried to follow which is good for Bouygues seeing Bakelants is not asking for anything more than his last day in the lead.
Though Suaza doing his job and is getting them all back into the group with Andy being right behind his team mate. With Goos he has another strong rider in the first rows.
Riders such as Keizer, Quintana, König, Koch or Pantano Gomez really far behind right now and almost dropped at some point. ~60 riders remaining though and for now those all still in.
Good recovery or just badly placed. 3km ago almost dropped and now in the attack as the pace went down quite a bit most recently. Keizer lost couple minutes in the hills and is 18th and 4'15 down. Not the biggest threat but for some teams surely not helpful to allow him a gap.
Sicard, Taaramäe and Kritskiy following this move putting a lot of pressure on the others.
In fact also Bakelants accelerated not giving up yet and hence several teams behind are chasing. Kennaugh for Pendletons as also riders of I-Gen, Vesuvio and RBC.
This really thinned out the peloton a lot and we see lots of small gaps coming to the top.
Taaramae and Keizer the only remaining attackers in the lead.
Behind them though the big moves. Phinney and Schleck have a small gap to the next group containing Spilak and his team mate Lecuisinier. Unfortunate for them also Schleck`s team mate Goos.
Then Dombrowski alongside Bakelants with Kritskiy and Arndt following. Later a similar surprise as the third Vesuvio rider in Suaza.
Sicard then missed those moves just like Wellens, Henao Montoya or Nerz.
Abal one of the biggest names missing all those groups being in the first "peloton".
Keizer sucks in descending clearly. Quickly Taaramae gained 30s on him and is solo.
Also Phinney a bit ahead of Andy Schleck while the Spilak, Dombrowski, Kritskiy, Bakelants group merged just like a bit later Wellens and Sicard.
10 riders together behind Taaramae. Actually Keizer with the slowest descent as he was caught by Phinney and Schleck earlier already.
Though the Bouygues leader being 70s in front already and with Bakelants another rider in the first chasing group.
Wellens and Sicard look a bit lost in the 3rd group but still a lot better than Henao Montoya or Abal in later groups likely to lose time here.
They cooperate well but can`t gain any time on the others, who are riding quick as well. 1'42 for them with the descent almost over.
Split in the chasing group.
Kritskiy, Lecuisinier, Arndt and Keizer can`t follow with 7km to go. In especially the Tinkoff rider a bit surprising here.
The Russian together with Arndt (on a huge day) though fight their way back and pass Bakelants and Goos here. Apparently that`s the end of his attempt to defend the jersey.
Also Taaramae slowly losing as it`s down to 36s with 6,5km to go.
Schleck is working the most with Spilak taking some turns as well. Dombrowski and Phinney now they aren`t as strong in the mountains and relax behind them.
27s to Taaramae, 34s to Kritskiy behind.
Keizer/Lecuisinier follow 2min behind already while Wellens/Sicard are another 70s back being in danger to be caught be the Henao Montoya/Karnulin/Nerz/Faiers group of 10 riders.
Phinney now in trouble on some of the steepest sections. 12% and he can`t follow the trio ahead.
Are his chances to take over the Maillot Jaune gone?
Easily the 4 strongest today and seeing the gap behind them, they might also be the strongest in the end being difficult to beat.
Taaramae being impressive here and still in the lead with 2km to go.
Spilak and Schleck really have to give it all while Dombrowski is riding smart in 3rd position.
1min to Phinney already. Another 30s to Kritskiy/Arndt/Bakelants.
Another 2min for Keizer/Lecuisinier with Goos still in between and Sicard/Wellens almost making it to them.
500m and the gap just isn`t closing. What a performance by Taaramae.
And he keeps it all to the top. Huge win for Bouygues, who are having a nice Tour de France so far.
Behind him Schleck being the strongest and sprints to 2nd ahead of Spilak and Dombrowski.
Unlucky for Taaramae though that this move was exactly in between and hence the judges rate them all within the same time. Due to better place before Spilak stays ahead of Taaramae and will take the GC lead with Schleck and Dombrowski following in 3rd and 4th.
This also means Phinney has lost too much. In the end coming in as 5th with 1'37 on Taaramae.
Behind him Kritskiy and an impressive Arndt also losing less than 2min. Kritskiy this way keeping his chances for a top5 but lost the first duel today.
Bakelants at 2'11 with a huge fight but it will be difficult to repeat this without the motivation of the yellow jersey. Goos at 3'27 also with a nice stage.
Wllens and Sicard indeed caught Lecuisinier and Keizer in the end. Surely have used their energy better on the whole climb but also not in reach of the very best. All 4 lose 4'37 with Keizer surely being quite disappointed to lose contact to later winner Taaramae in the descent only.
The other riders such as Nerz, Anacona, Karnulin, LLS or Nesset all in the ~6-7min area while Henao Montoya had a bad day in 20th only and losing 7'32. Even worse for Abal in the 10min peloton being beaten by top climbers Ponzi and Bewley.
With him 3rd tier riders Bennett, Kangert, Aru, Choi, Kunshin, Solis, Kolesnikov. Evonik`s Koch another 2min behind just like Becherovka`s König or Orange`s Quintana..
